by Michael Dean Thompson
In forensic technology, the term “black box” has gained prominence. It describes a system whose inner workings remain opaque—an output emerges, but how it is produced eludes the user. Such black-box algorithms underpin artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools that identify suspects from video footage, guide police patrols ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
Support for the death penalty among Americans has fallen to 53%, its lowest level since 1972, driven primarily by younger generations who are far less likely to favor capital punishment for convicted murderers, according to a Gallup poll.
Gallup’s annual Crime Survey, conducted since 2000, reveals ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
A San Diego-based company called ANOM, often stylized as “ANØM,” distributed encrypted phones worldwide. These devices were stripped down, hardened against intrusion, and designed to allow messaging only between phones on the same closed network. Unbeknownst to users, the FBI intercepted every communication.
The FBI and ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
When the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (“AAFS”) announced its lineup of workshops for a recent conference, Ted Hunt, a senior policy advisor to the FBI’s crime lab, demanded that references to the FBI be removed from two sessions. Hunt also urged AAFS representatives, including its ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
SoundThinking’s ShotSpotter technology, which uses echolocation to alert police and emergency medical services (“EMS”) to potential gunshots detected by microphones across a city, has faced mounting scrutiny. While sales and public relations teams have touted its effectiveness—and, on occasion, been accused of manipulating data to secure ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
It is no secret that digital advertising companies profit handsomely by accessing and exploiting the private information of consumers. What may be surprising, however, is the increasing efficiency with which these companies collect, distribute, and monetize personal data. This information feeds the American surveillance state, making ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
Few people possess the scientific and mathematical background needed to fully grasp the complexities of DNA evidence after just ten minutes of expert testimony. Yet jurors are routinely tasked with making life-altering decisions for defendants based on such testimony and other intricate technological issues.
Andy Ridgway, ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
Social media has revolutionized connectivity, allowing people to develop and maintain relationships well beyond what was possible just a generation earlier. The revolution has, however, enabled the joint planning, execution, and documentation of crimes. It is therefore no surprise that law enforcement wants to access social ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
With every breath you take, you shed DNA. It is in the skin cells that flake off your body by the millions, the hair that floats off as you walk, and the oil you leave behind on many of the things you touch. And scientists are ...
by Michael Dean Thompson
The U.S. has a dark carceral history that has led to its maintenance of one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Advocates for electronic monitoring (“EM”) have often made the claim that it could reduce incarceration rates and their associated financial and human costs. ...
